West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 144 by Charlie Miller

- Dancing in West Jefferson – March 13, 1974 – The fire that damaged the building located at the intersection of W. Main St. and the Blair Road brought back memories for some West Jefferson residents. To many it appeared as just an old abandoned building but to some it was still The West Jefferson Gardens where many whooped it up on a Saturday night. The building was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Al Longstreth. Almost 65 years old, it was built by the late Bill Wanzell. The Longstreths took over the building in 1938. A previous owner had named it the West Jefferson Gardens because of the beautiful trees and climbing roses at the entrance to the grounds. Longstreth had played the saxophone and violin there15 years before he became owner. Mrs. Longstreth said that they were the first to have a big band sound in the area. She was the vocalist and played the bass and guitar. People would come from Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus, we also did square dances. On New Year’s Eve the crowds were fabulous, more than we could handle. When first built the hall was heated by two coal stoves at either end of the hall, a trip to the rest room meant going over the hill! Mrs. Longstreth’s mother manned the kitchen serving snacks, sandwiches and beer. In the early 50’s the women dancers wore low heels, and full skirts, slacks were still unheard of. They operated Jefferson Gardens until the early 60’s, when they went on the road. Later their sons operated it as an arena for wrestlers and later for auctions. Tom Lowe who will be 82 in July was a policeman at the hall for 18 years. (Your writer when he came home on leaves from the U. S. Army, in the 50's would always visit on Saturday nights, and it was always packed.)

_________________________________

- A Geological Report – West Jefferson lies to the west in a large oxbow of Little Darby Creek. (When the area was first settled, Little Darby Creek was named Treacles Creek). Most of the village lies between 900 and 920-foot contours, and the stream is 880 feet above tide.

At one time, West Jefferson was covered by a saltwater ocean, leaving traces of many fossils of small sea creatures. Later came dense forests and then Glaciers. Scientists determined that West Jefferson was under at least 2,000 feet of ice at one time. The temperature was much cooler. July temperatures averaged 20 degrees below the normal temperature. Ice came from the north at a rate of around 310 feet per year.

West of the village along Little Darby Creek, one record gives 175 feet of fill, thus placing the rock floor at 780 feet or 100 feet below the present stream. This represents the course of the Groveport River of Teays age.

West Jefferson lies at the top of the Monroe formation consisting of variously textured and bedded dolomites and usually containing small supplies of rock water. Owing to the content of pyrite and organic matter in the Monroe, these rocks where deep-seated, yield hydrogen sulfide and other impurities. The supply is now softened by the reverse osmosis process—either the glacial fill along the valley or the stream direct offers favorable supplies.